Across the Pennines by Barge

[Roger West]

Has anyone crossed from yorkshire to liverpool in a wide beam barge. I’m wondering if it’s possible with a 3ft draft and a 7ft 7 air draft. Width tad under 12ft. Welcome any route advice.

[George and Dragon]

With those dimensions you might need to try the Caledonian Canal.

[IanD]

4 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

With those dimensions you might need to try the Caledonian Canal.

I guess the air draft is the biggest problem?

 

(but length could be too, not given...)

[David Mack]

According to CRT the maximum headroom on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal is 7ft 6 ins, with Foulridge Tunnel being the limiting point. So you might make it. Depends in part how wide the 7ft 7 in high part is.

Officially the maximum draft is 3ft 8 ins, although I'm not sure anybody really believes that. 3 ft draft is probably doable, but you will scrape the bottom in places.

Edited December 11, 2021 by David Mack

[Alan de Enfield]

14 minutes ago, Roger West said:

Has anyone crossed from yorkshire to liverpool in a wide beam barge. I’m wondering if it’s possible with a 3ft draft and a 7ft 7 air draft. Width tad under 12ft. Welcome any route advice.

 

Whilst (theoretically using C&RTs dimension) your  beam should not be a problem, your draft will make it difficult  and your air-draft means it is pretty much impossible.

What length are you ?

 

 

Edit to add :

 

Remember that the curved bridges are shown as the maximum height and a fatty will actually have a lower bridge height than an anorexic boat.

Edited December 11, 2021 by Alan de Enfield

[TheBiscuits]

 

I think you'd fit but you'd need to be careful in Foulridge tunnel where the roof drops.  Fill the fuel tanks at Lower Park and fill the water tanks at Foulridge services to ballast you down a bit before entering the tunnel.

 

Width and depth are not a major issue.  You will bottom out a lot in places but @DRP got a heavily laden Ribble across a few years ago.

[David Mack]

The late Tim Leech took Kennet (9 ft beam, 3 ft 3" draft) across in 2014, and after he died the new owners took it back the same way.

 

Edited December 11, 2021 by David Mack

[Roger West]

Thanks for all the great thoughts. I’m trying to get her down to Bristol and avoid the cost of a road move. Not looking easy though!

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Roger West said:

Thanks for all the great thoughts. I’m trying to get her down to Bristol and avoid the cost of a road move. Not looking easy though!

 

Is she a 'proper' sea worthy 'barge', or a 'fat narrowboat' ?

 

It would be a great trip going down the Humber, turn right, keep going, turn right again around Kent along the South coaat, round lands end and up the Severn.

 

 

Timothy Spall did it in his Barge.

He started off with a Narrowboat and the inland waterways but decided it was not enough so bought a barge.

He then circumnavigated the whole of the UK coast.

This episode is the South coast to the Severn

 

 

Edited December 11, 2021 by Alan de Enfield

[john6767]

6 minutes ago, Roger West said:

Thanks for all the great thoughts. I’m trying to get her down to Bristol and avoid the cost of a road move. Not looking easy though!

So are you intending to go round the Welsh coast from the Mersey to the Bristol Channel?

[David Mack]

7 minutes ago, Roger West said:

Thanks for all the great thoughts. I’m trying to get her down to Bristol and avoid the cost of a road move. Not looking easy though!

And having got from Yorkshire to Liverpool, then what?  You still can't get a widebeam to Bristol except by sea or by road.

[Roger West]

Go by sea!

Other option from goole but that looks like a month long trip!

[Alan de Enfield]

24 minutes ago, Roger West said:

Go by sea!

Other option from goole but that looks like a month long trip!

 

We did from Hull to Plymouth in 3 days.

 

Hull to Bristol is 797nm and will take 6.6 days at 5knts.

 

Even if you could get across the Pennines (doubtfull) Liverpool to Bristol is still 330nm and 3 days at 5knts

 

You may well be using 5 litres an hour of diesel so Hull to Bristol will cost around £1000 + in fuel, and  Liverpool to Bristol will use some £400 + in fuel.

 

It was a combintion of fuel cost and time taken that I decided to take my other boat (14 foot beam  and 15' height cruiser) by road from Lincolnshire to Anglesey. Because of the beam it required an wscort vehicle , 2 drivers and Police permission and limited driving hours (to avoid blocking roads in the morning and evening rush-hours)

Due to the height I had to have a special truck that could drop its suspension to 100mm to pass under bridges.

The cost was £2400 incluidng a lift onto the truck, and the lift off at the other end.

 

 

You are less than 12 foot so your road costs will be considerably less as you will not have the 2-drivers and escort vehicle or special low loader, or Police approvals requirements.

 

To me your best option would be by road (and not much more expensive) and, it will arrive safe and sound in one day and not be weather dependent. You could be stuck in a coastal harbour for many days if these storms continue to come across the Atlantic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

 

 

 

Is your boat really a sea-worthy barge, or a wide narrowboat ?

 

What sea-going experience do you have ?

Have you got your VHF radio licence ?
Is the boat equipped with suitable navigation equipment ?

What 'rating' is the boat (it will be shown on the RCD / RCD plate) A, B, C, D ?

 

Due to their shallowness both the North Sea and the Irish Sea can be extremly rough even in moderate weather.

[Roger West]

Alan, thanks for your thoughtful reply. She’s Cat C so in theory coastal capable, I’ve got Coastal Skipper sailing but very rusty so don’t trust myself to do it. I did think about hiring a skipper but agree it’s a long way and it’s not the best time of year to be planning a move. With the latest covid constraints I’m not going back to work in Bristol anytime soon so might check into a local marina and wait out. 

[David Mack]

54 minutes ago, Roger West said:

Go by sea!

Other option from goole but that looks like a month long trip!

Or take the Trent and Fossdyke & Witham to the Wash, round East Anglia to the Thames then along the Kennet and Avon. Much shorter sea passage if you fit the K&A.

[IanD]

4 minutes ago, Roger West said:

Alan, thanks for your thoughtful reply. She’s Cat C so in theory coastal capable, I’ve got Coastal Skipper sailing but very rusty so don’t trust myself to do it. I did think about hiring a skipper but agree it’s a long way and it’s not the best time of year to be planning a move. With the latest covid constraints I’m not going back to work in Bristol anytime soon so might check into a local marina and wait out. 

How long is the barge?

[Roger West]

55ft

Branson Katherine design

David, I think K&A possible as the wheelhouse does collapse, but not best time of year for this

[Alan de Enfield]

25 minutes ago, Roger West said:

Alan, thanks for your thoughtful reply. She’s Cat C so in theory coastal capable, I’ve got Coastal Skipper sailing but very rusty so don’t trust myself to do it. I did think about hiring a skipper but agree it’s a long way and it’s not the best time of year to be planning a move. With the latest covid constraints I’m not going back to work in Bristol anytime soon so might check into a local marina and wait out. 

 

If you are planning to engage a delivery skipper, add in the cost of the fuel and It will be well above the cost of road transport.

 

If you decide to go that route I can put you in touch with a fully qualified Yachtmaster delivery skipper with all the necessary insurances. He would do it with 7 days (ish - but only being CAT C would be very weather dependant) but would need to have crew to work watches as he doen't stop. It will be 7 days 24 hours a day, and he would expect the engine to be serviced and the fuel tanks cleaned and relevant spares carried on board.

I would suggest that you speak with your insurers to ensure they are happy with a CAT C making that voyage. 

 

We bought our Catamaran from Croatia, and even tho' it is CAT A we had to go back to Sardinia and await out a gale. It was extremely unpleasent and even with both engines and storm-sails we could not make any headway.

Even being CAT A our insurers would not cover us for crossing the Bay of Biscay in Winter (in fact, until the 1st May)

 

You can NEVER beat either the weather or the sea if they set against you.

Edited December 11, 2021 by Alan de Enfield

[Roger West]

I think it’s looking like a road trip! Many thanks for the excellent comments and advice

[Alan de Enfield]

14 minutes ago, Roger West said:

I think it’s looking like a road trip! Many thanks for the excellent comments and advice

 

 

Doesn't hurt (or cost anything) to make a few phone calls. Try :

 

Barge Movers

 

Tuckeys.com | MJT Cranes

 

Boat Transport Across the UK, Ireland and Europe - E & S Frisby & Sons (esfrisby.co.uk)